5 Ways to Focus on Happiness

It’s late. I didn’t have a post for this morning, and I am writing this over coffee while listening to the grandfather clock chime and my birds squeaking. They are waiting to get up, but I’m busy. Yes, that’s it – caffeinating and writing about….yeah, so that’s it. Tapped out and then suddenly, a ray of sunshine literally streams in through the verticals and hits me right between the eyes. Of course, the dog is barking like a maniac, and I get distracted, so I pour more coffee, and now I begin.

Hello peeps. It’s Tuesday, and I am feeling happy, but the quiet kind. It isn’t that I don’t have problems to deal with today, but I feel as if I can conquer them. Happy is a state of being; imagine for one minute, that life is amazing and beautiful because you are focused on the positive, instead of letting all your struggles wear you down. OK, so they feel like an anchor wrapped around your neck – lose the cables and let it go. Phew- that’s better. Remember, it isn’t about what the world keeps taking from you and tossing out to sea (metaphor peeps); life is about what YOU do with what you have. Ad we all have a lot more than we believe. Let me share a few reminders to motivate you when the java perform its magical tricks.

Nothing is permanent. The saying goes something like after the darkness comes the light? Or maybe after the rain, the sun will shine? Either way, when you wake up every morning, it’s a reminder that life is full of change and possibility. Night and darkness cannot last forever, at least not on our plane of existence. If your life is good right now, enjoy every blessed moment. If things are tough, know that it’s not going to be like this forever. Smile, increase your face value and feel how much better your outlook becomes. You can enjoy moments, days or months even if your life seems to be headed down the wrong path. The turnaround to the right road is coming up soon.

Other people’s negativity is NOT your issue.Stay focused and positive. I know it can be rough, but if you can smile and find something good about yourself when others try and bring you down – you are ahead of the curve. Stay true to you and your beliefs. Don’t let someone else’s bitter attitude and downtrodden way affect your outlook. Don’t take them personally – they are fighting their own battles. Walk away and smile – at sunshine, a bird, your dog, maybe another person who may need to see that beautiful sunny smile.

Don’t change to impress anyone.You are perfect and good enough as you are. Changing for yourself, to be a better YOU is fine, but don’t rearrange your life to fit someone else’s mold. People will always talk and think about you no matter how you are, so be yourself. Do YOUR personal best, and you will find your brighter future. Fight for what you believe in, and don’t be afraid. Life happens ONCE, so get up, find your thing, and go for it!

Pain helps you grow.Without trying to sound hokey, sometimes, life closes the doors because we need a push to move on. The open window is waiting, and without that push, we would stagnate, and that is not good for the psyche. Remind yourself when you are feeling down, or that life handed you a raw deal, that everything happens for a reason, whether it becomes clear to us or not. Move forward from the hurt, but retain the lessons you got out of your situation. Struggling does not equal failure. Be patient; all good things come to those who have the will to wait. It will all come together in the end.

Your scars are potent reminders of where you have been and what you have conquered.Wounds do not have to be physical. Never be ashamed if yours, no matter how and where you carry them. If you have scars, then life has left you with a lesson, and you have conquered the pain and deception and grown from your experiences. You are stronger. Your scar is a tattoo on your soul of overcoming your struggle or situation and living triumphantly. “From every wound, there is a scar, and every scar tells a story. A story that says, I survived.” -Anonymous.

A true measure of strength is when your life is a mess, yet instead of holing up, curling up and crying, you smile and appreciate the little things. Every struggle will show you a blessing once you make it through, so do so valiantly. Open your heart and mind and remember that we cannot force things to happen. So let go, and let life happen one day at a time. Life is about trusting yourself; your gut instincts and taking chances. Stop worrying all the time and live in the moment. You might not end up where you wanted to go, but you will always be in the right place at the right time. Practice loving kindness and forgiveness. There will be days when it seems like everything will still go wrong and be wrong, but you will get past them. Don’t harden your heart, but stay happy and remember that life is cyclical. We go through the worst of times to end up at the best of times.

Life can be a bitch, but so can you. Toughen up, wise up and find the strength to move ahead with a smile. Every day. Be courageous, different, trailblazing and beautiful. Live simply, be generous with your love and always be true. Make others smile and try not to stress about the things you can’t change. There’s wine and chocolate for that.

Stay motivated and caffeinated!

Feel free to let me know what keeps you feeling positive when life feels like a road trip to the underworld. All comments appreciated and they will be answered. 😊